Device for retaining a boot on a snowshoe

ABSTRACT

A device ( 1 ) for retaining the front of a boot on a snowshoe, said device including an assembly of retention walls ( 2, 3   a   , 3   b ) forming an enclosure opening towards the rear (AR) and in which the front end of the boot is intended to be received, characterized in that the enclosure is made of two side retention walls ( 3   a   , 3   b ), namely a left wall ( 3   a ) and a right wall ( 3   b ), and a front retention wall ( 2 ) made of a deformable plastic material making a body with a front support plate ( 5 ) on which the front of the sole of the boot is supported, wherein the retention walls ( 2, 3   a   , 3   b ) are intended to be drawn together to the boot thanks to a means for drawing together, made of a single continuous tie such as a strap ( 6 ) in supple material.

The present invention concerns a device for retaining a boot on asnowshoe and more particularly a front retainer. The invention concernsalso a snowshoe equipped with the device.

The snowshoes, devices known for very many years, have been used forseveral centuries by the Scandinavian populations to move on snow. Untilrecently, snowshoes were used by ordinary travelers or soldiers to allowthe populations and the alpine troops to move on snow for theirmovements required by the everyday life. Currently, snowshoes areinstead used by walkers or sportsmen who undertake excursions and walks,and even competitions.

There already exist different types of devices for retaining the boot onthe snowshoe. One knows more particularly two types, called a plate andcalled rubber boot. Generally, the devices of the plate type are usuallyused by high performance sports because the retention of the foot isassured with more rigidity. The devices of the rubber boot type are madeby a front fitting accomplished by a rubber jacket in which the frontend of the boot is retained. But, the enclosure interior of the jacketintended to receive the foresaid front end is deformable and supple andit results in the a possibility of rotation of the boot around a pointsituated under the front of the foot which provokes the possibility oflateral displacement of the heel. The retention of the boot is notassured. But, although the last type of retainer is rather preferred bywalkers who are not too hard to please more than carefully actingsportsmen, it does not say that the aforesaid walkers any less also wantto have a good hold of their boot.

The present invention proposes to resolve these inconveniences of theseknown devices by proposing a device that combines simplicity,convenience, security, and reliability.

Thus, according to the invention, the device for retention of a boot onthe snowshoe, includes an assembly of retention walls forming anenclosure opening to the rear and in which the front end of the boot isintended to be engaged and is characterized in that the enclosure ismade up of two side retention walls, including a left wall and a rightwall and a front retention wall made of a deformable plastic material,making a body with a front support plate on which the sole of the bootis supported, whereas the retention walls are intended to be drawing tothe boot thanks to means for drawing together, constituted by a tie suchas a strap in flexible material.

According to complimentary characteristics, the strap is in a syntheticfabric such that the strap is a single continuous strap of which the twoends are attached to the side walls, namely one of the ends is attachedto the left side wall, while the other end is joined to the right sidewall.

According to another characteristic, each of the side walls carries anadjustment buckle.

Additionally, the front retention wall includes a horizontal slotthrough which the strap is intended to pass.

According to the preferred embodiment, the route of the strap starts outat one of the side walls to meet the other side wall after being passedthrough the front slot and through the two adjustment buckles, such thatthe right end of the strap is attached to the right side wall, while itis then runs through the front slot of the front wall, then to runthrough the left buckle, while from said left buckle the strap runsthrough the right buckle then to attached by the left end to the leftside wall.

According to an alternate embodiment, the front retention wall isextended toward the rear until being joined to the transverse strap;this last carrying the two adjustment buckles.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will becomeevident from the description that follows and in regard to the attacheddrawing that are given by way of non-limiting examples.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a first embodiment.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the retaining device.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the retaining device.

FIG. 3 illustrated an alternate embodiment.

The snowshoe intended to be equipped with the device according to thepresent invention can, it will be understood, be of any type. It can forexample be of the type in which the webbing is made of plastic materialor of the type made of a peripheral frame retaining a fabric.

The boot of the user is retained on the snowshoe by the device accordingto the invention carrying the general reference 1, and which is made ofan assembly of deformable retention walls 2, 3 a, 3 b forming anenclosure 8 or cavity opening toward the rear in which the front end ofthe boot (not represented) is engaged and retained.

The retaining device of the invention relates to the front restraint forthe boot, it is intended to be combined with restraining means for therear of the boot.

According to the illustrated embodiment of the device, the enclosure 8or cavity opening toward the rear AR includes two side retention walls 3a, 3 b, embodied in a left wail 3 a and a right wall 3 b and a frontretention wall 2. The assembly of walls is made in a deformable plasticmaterial and is advantageously injection molded with the front supportplate on which the sole of the boot is supported.

Additionally, the retention walls 2, 3 a, 3 b are intended to be drawingtogether around the boot thanks to the means for drawing together. Thedrawing together of the walls being made such that these are in contactwith the boot in order that the retention be assured.

The drawing together means are according to the invention made by asingle tie such as for example by a strap 6 in supple material such as asynthetic fabric or similarly like a cable.

The two ends 6 a, 6 b are attached to the side walls 3 a, 3 b,respectively. Thus one of the ends 6 a is attached to the left side wall3 a, in a point 12 a of left engagement, while the other end 6 b isjoined to the right side wall 3 b, in a point 12 b of attachment.

Additionally, each of the side walls 3 a, 3 b carries an adjustmentbuckle 7 a, 7 b. Thus, the left side wall 3 a includes a left buckle 7a, while the right side wall includes a right buckle 7 b. Each of thebuckles 7 a, 7 b is advantageously joined to the corresponding wall bythe intermediary of a loop portion 13 a, 13 b for retaining the buckle.Additionally, each of the buckles assure the braking and the locking ofthe strap, and includes also an edge return means.

One notes that the front retention wall 2 includes a slot 2 a throughwhich the strap 6 is intended to pass such as is described hereafter.

The route of the strap starts out at one of the side walls for joiningthe other side wall after passing through the front slot 2 a and throughthe two adjustment buckles 7 a, 7 b.

Thus, the right end 6 b of the strap 6 is attached for example by rivets10 to the right side wall 3 b, while it then runs through the front slot2 a of the front wall, then to run through the left buckle 7 a. Afterthe aforesaid left buckle 7 a, the strap is run through the right buckle7 b, to be linked then by the left end 6 a to the left side wall 3 a.

One understands that with such a route of the strap this last forming a“V” 6′ on the front of the boot formed by the two sections 6′a, 6′b ofthe strap, and includes a transverse retention section 6″.

Additionally, the retention “V” is found disposed on top of the area ofthe toes of the user, and is made by a portion of the strap going to thepoint 12 b of right attachment to the left adjustment buckle 7 a.

Note also that the transverse section 6″ is found disposed at the levelof the metatarsals of the user, and is made by the portion of the strapgoing from the point 12 a to the right adjustment buckle 7 b.

For example, the portion of the strap 6′″ joining the two tighteningbuckles 7 a, 7 b includes a grasping and pulling section permitting theuser to proceed to tighten his retention device by drawing together thewalls of the device.

One comprehends that thanks to the free strap 6′″, the user can bypulling towards the top HA drawing together the retention walls.

Thus, when the user pulls towards the top according to Ta on the portion6′″a of the loop 6′″, this causes a pulling on the portions 6′a, 6′b ofthe strap and assures the drawing together of the front wall 2 on theboot.

And when the user pulls towards the top according to Tb on the portion6′″b of the loop 6′″, this causes a pulling on the transverse retentionsection 6″ of the strap 6 and assures the reciprocal drawing together ofthe side retention walls 3 a, 3 b against the boot, while the transversesection 6″, is brought supportingly on the top of the front of the boot.

FIG. 3 represents an alternate embodiment, according to which the sameelements as the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, carry the same referencenumber.

According to this alternate embodiment the “V” shape 6′ on the front isformed by the two sections 6′a, 6′b of the strap of the precedingembodiment is eliminated and replaced by the front retention wall 2which is extended towards the rear such as to be joined to thetransverse strap 6″.

Like the preceding each of the side walls 3 a, 3 b carries an adjustmentbuckle 7 a, 7 b. Thus, the left side wall 3 a includes a left buckle 7a, whereas the right side wall includes a right buckle 7 b. Each of thebuckles 7 a, 7 b is advantageously joined to the corresponding wall bythe intermediary of a loop portion 13 a, 13 b of the retention strap.Additionally, each of the buckles assures the braking and locking of thestrap.

The strap 6 is constituted by a continuous loop including a transverseportion 6″ of the strap and a tightening portion 6′″ of the strap formedby a free loop. The strap 6 passes in one part through the leftadjustment buckle 7 a then to the right buckle 7 b thanks to thetransverse portion 6″ of the strap. Note that the transverse strapportion 6″ after having passed through the two buckles on the top formsthe tightening strap portion 6′″.

According to the illustrated embodiments the means for drawing togetherare constituted by a single continuous strap, on which the user canreadily pull to adjust the enclosure for the front of the boot.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theembodiments described and illustrated in the examples of thedescription, but includes also all the technical equivalents and alsotheir combinations.

1. A device for retaining a front of a boot on a snowshoe, said deviceincluding an assembly of retention walls forming an enclosure openingtowards the rear and in which the front end of the boot is intended tobe received, the enclosure being made of two side retention walls,namely a left wall and a right wall, and a front retention wall made ofa deformable plastic material making a body with a front support plateon which a front of a sole of the boot is supported, the retention wallsbeing drawn together to the boot by a means for drawing together, madeof a single continuous strap of supple material.
 2. The retaining deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein each of the side walls carries anadjustment buckle, namely a left side wall carries a left buckle, whilea right side wall carries a right buckle.
 3. The retaining deviceaccording to claim 2, further including a transverse strap extended by atightening strap.
 4. The retaining device according to claim 1, whereinthe front retaining wall includes a slot through which the strap ispassed.
 5. The retaining device according to claim 1, wherein ends ofthe strap are attached to respective side walls, namely one of the endsis attached to the left side wall, while the other end is joined to theright side wall.
 6. The retaining device according to claim 1, wherein aroute of the strap starts at one of the side walls, meets the other sidewall after being passed through a front slot and through two adjustmentbuckles.
 7. The retaining device according to claim 1, wherein a rightend of the strap is attached to the right side wall, runs through afront slot in the front wall, then runs through a left buckle, then runsthrough a right buckle, to be then joined by a left end to the left sidewall.
 8. The retaining device according to claim 7, wherein the route ofthe strap is such that said strap forms a “V” on the front of the bootformed by two sections of the strap, and includes a transverse retainingsection.
 9. The retaining device according to claim 8, wherein theretaining “V” is disposed on top of an area of the toes of the user, andis defined by a portion of the strap running from a right attachmentpoint to the left adjustment buckle, and a transverse section disposedon top of the front of the boot.
 10. The retaining device according toclaim 1, wherein a portion of the strap linking two buckles includes agrasping and pulling section permitting the user by pulling to drawtogether the retaining walls.
 11. The retaining device according toclaim 1, wherein a transverse strap links two adjustment buckles. 12.The retaining device according to claim 11, wherein the strap is made bya continuous loop including a transverse strap portion and a pullingportion of the strap forming a free loop.
 13. The retaining deviceaccording to claim 12, wherein the strap passes in part through anadjustment buckle then towards a right buckle via the transverse strapportion, such that the transverse strap portion after having passedthrough the two buckles forms on top the pulling portion.
 14. A snowshoeequipped with a retaining device according to claim
 1. 15. A device forretaining a boot on a snowshoe comprising: a front support plate; afront wall extending from the front support plate; first and second sidewalls extending from the front support plate, the front, first side andsecond side walls being configured to receive a toe of the boot; a firstbuckle carried by the first side wall and a second buckle carried by thesecond side wall; a continuous strap having a first end attached to thefirst side wall, running from the first side wall to the second buckleconfigured to engage the toe of the boot, from the second buckle in aloose loop to and through the first buckle, and a second end attached toone of the side walls.
 16. The retaining device according to claim 15,wherein the continuous strap further runs from the first buckle, througha slot in the front wall and from the slot to the second side wall, thesecond end of the strap being attached to the second side wall.
 17. Theretaining device according to claim 15, wherein the front wall connectswith the strap between the first side wall and the second buckle.
 18. Asnowshoe in combination with the retaining device according to claim 15.